The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 23, 2024
-
June 20, 2024Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Thank you for your kindness to Fr. David Mees and your prayers on his ordination to the Holy Priesthood on Saturday, June 15 and at his First Solemn Mass on Sunday, June 16. His first assignment is at St. Catherine of Siena in Burlingame and at Serra High School as chaplain.
We are also grateful to Father Cameron Faller who has been with us for one year and who will soon become the pastor of Holy Name Parish in San Francisco on July 1. Please keep up your prayers for me and our Parochial Vicar, Fr. Pollette.
As we learn from the Gospel, our journey through life can readily be compared to an ocean voyage with its ups and downs. At times life is calm like the sea and we are relaxed, joyful, and at peace. However, with little notice life can become turbulent and unsettling like a ship at sea during a storm, and we may even begin to think that we are going to sink and drown.
The disciples experienced these feelings in the boat with Jesus. Everything was fine until the storm arose. Then, they began to panic and imagine they were doomed. Yet through it all Jesus was with them, though asleep on a pillow. Really, there was no reason to be afraid. Clearly, Jesus demonstrated that He is with us in good times and bad, in joys and sorrows, in life and even in death. Nothing can separate us from us love. That is why we are called to put our faith in Him. He remains our first, last, best, and only hope. Mary models to us the type of faith we all want to have in the Lord.
Like the disciples in the boat the entire Church and each of us experiences challenges to his faith. We need to trust. We need to stay the course with the Lord. He is at the helm. He cannot lead us astray or disappoint us. No matter what, He will come through for us even when we are doubtful and afraid. Jesus understands our frailty and steps in to prop us up, to give us strength that we may endure. Remember the old adage: a coward dies a thousand deaths; a brave man but once. Jesus would finally show His unconditional love for us upon the cross. Stretched between heaven and earth, having shed every drop of blood for our poor souls, He endured His sufferings to the end and died to save us. From that moment on we have before us the Triumph of the Cross.
The Catholic Church is our beloved Mother given to us by the Lord from His wounded side. She is a grand lady, who reaches out to us with the riches of Christ. Faith of our Fathers, holy Faith, we will be true to thee till death
Yours in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor
